PRESS RELEASE
The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum 4079 Albany Post Road, Hyde Park, NY 12538-1917 www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu 1-800-FDR-VISIT
October 29, 2008 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Cliff Laube (845) 486-7745
Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library Author Talk, Signing, and C-SPAN’s BookTV: Curtis Roosevelt TOO CLOSE TO THE SUN: GROWING UP IN THE SHADOW OF MY GRANDPARENTS, FRANKLIN AND ELEANOR
HYDE PARK, NY -- The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum is pleased to announce that Roosevelt grandson Curtis Roosevelt, author of TOO CLOSE TO THE SUN: GROWING UP IN THE SHADOW OF MY GRANDPARENTS,
FRANKLIN AND ELEANOR, will speak at the Henry A. Wallace Visitor and Education Center on Sunday, November 9 at 2:00 p.m. The program will be filmed by C-SPAN’s BookTV. Following the talk, Mr. Roosevelt will be available to sign copies of his book. This is a free public event.
Curtis Roosevelt was three when he and his sister Eleanor arrived at the White House soon after their grandfather’s presidential inauguration in the wake of their parents’ separation. The country’s “First Grandchildren,” they were known to the media and to the American people as “Sistie-and-Buzzie.” For the next twelve years, Curtis Roosevelt either lived with his grandparents or was a frequent visitor. Even when living elsewhere with his mother and new stepfather, he felt the deepest sense of belonging at the White House and at the Roosevelt family’s home at Hyde Park with his great grandmother, Sara Delano Roosevelt.
In this richly illustrated memoir, Curtis Roosevelt recreates the strange and magical world of the Roosevelt White House. He brings us into “the goldfish bowl,” as his family called it -- that glare of public scrutiny to which all presidential households must submit. He recounts his adventures -- and misadventures -- as a child caught up in the heady atmosphere of his family’s complex relationships.
Blending self-deprecation, humor, awe, and affection, Roosevelt masterfully depicts a young boy’s experience orbiting his powerful grandparents. A poignant coming-of-age- story, TOO CLOSE TO THE SUN is a unique portrait of two of the most influential figures in modern American history.
Curtis Roosevelt is the oldest grandson of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt. After a long career in the United Nations Secretariat and in university administration he is now retired and lives in France with his wife, Marina.
Copies of Mr. Roosevelt’s book will be available for sale after the talk. This is a free public event. Please contact Cliff Laube at (845) 486-7745 or email [email protected] with questions about the event.
The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum is dedicated to preserving historical material and providing innovative educational programs, community events, and public outreach. It is one of twelve presidential libraries administered by the National Archives and Records Administration. For information about the FDR Presidential Library call (800) 337-8474 or visit www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu.
Historic Hyde Park is a group of government and private non-profit organizations based in Hyde Park, New York. Each has a unique mission, but all are united in their dedication to extending the legacy of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt to new generations. HHP includes the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum, the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site, Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site, the Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val-Kill, the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute, and Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site. For more information about HHP visit www.HistoricHydePark.org.
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